


Surprised To See Me?

by ParacausalJengram



Series: The Bird and The Bolt [4]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29443605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParacausalJengram/pseuds/ParacausalJengram
Summary: Asteryn and her fireteam, the Exo Titan Zorah-13 and the Human Warlock Callix, report to the HELM for the first time. A not-so-mysterious, not-such-a-stranger waiting there catches her by surprise.---Fluffy early-days relationship-forming between my Awoken Hunter, Asteryn, and the softest boy, Crow. With inspiration from Osiris and Crow's conversation from the beginning of Season of the Chosen.
Relationships: Female Guardian/Crow, Female Guardian/The Crow, Female Guardian/Uldren Sov
Series: The Bird and The Bolt [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2162769
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	Surprised To See Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place at the start of the Season of the Chosen, during that first trip to the HELM. I cannot bring myself to put periods between each letter of it, I'm sorry. Also kind of works for #CrimsonDays2021 Day 11: Surprise. Inspired in part by tweets by @veetwentythree on Twitter, who is a wonderful Destiny 2 artist and whose tweet made me think too much about kiss marks left on Crow's new mask.
> 
> Original characters: Zorah-13, Exo Titan, and her Ghost, Rayya; Callix, Human Warlock; Asteryn, Awoken Hunter, and her Ghost, Sheyd; Brigid-2, UnkindledAsh's Exo Titan

The HELM was unlike anything she had ever seen before--which, admittedly, wasn’t saying much, considering how new Asteryn was. Even though she had only been around for a few months, those months had been packed with incredible sights, and she was pleased there was still more to see. 

But she was with her fireteam, and she was determined not to look like the starry-eyed Kinderguardian she knew she was, so she squared her shoulders and followed Callix and Zorah-13 to the war table. Maybe she’d be able to investigate the terminals and the strange, glowing pit Zorah had called a decoder between missions, when the room was mostly empty and no one could catch her eyes sparking with wonder. 

The trio stood at attention through messages from both Zavala and a man named Saladin, who Asteryn didn’t recognize but who Zorah-13 and Callix clearly did. They exchanged a quick glance when he appeared, surprised to see him, and a pang went through her. Another bit of history she didn’t know, another implication she couldn’t pick up on. She’d ask Zorah or Sheyd about it later; for now, she just had to swallow her questions and endure. 

Finally, Saladin’s digital form vanished and the table fell silent. The team turned to go, but the telltale sparkle of transmat caught their attention and caused them to turn back around. On either side of the table, two figures had appeared. One she recognized immediately as Osiris; the other, a broad figure in white and black, hooded and wearing a mask, took her a moment. But when he met her eyes, she almost yelped in surprise, her cheeks flushing. 

Quietly, within her hood and against her ear so only she could hear, Sheyd whispered, “Is that…?”

Before she could whisper a reply, Callix’s face filled her field of vision. “Hello? Tower to Ryn? Did you absorb  _ anything  _ I just said, or are you elsewhere--Europa, maybe?” 

Asteryn came back to herself with a start. When she realized how close Callix was, she took a step back and scowled at him. “No, I didn’t hear anything. You know I tune you out. Zorah, did he say anything worthwhile?”

“Does he ever?” The Exo replied, deadpan. “He was introducing Osiris.”

“It’s my job as your superior, your mentor, and this team’s Warlock to make sure you know what you need to know, and I personally think it is very worthwhile to know why it is such an honor to be working with  _ the  _ Osiris on these missions!” Callix sputtered, crossing his arms in a huff.

Osiris silenced him with a look. “There is no need. Asteryn and I have met. Now, if we may get back to the matter at hand?”

Both her teammates looked at her in surprise at that, and she knew there’d be questions asked later. Part of her was smugly pleased about that--for once she knew something they didn’t, or at least knew something they didn’t expect her to know. And now she had a good excuse now for why she was blushing that had nothing to do with the realization that the Hunter in the mask was Crow. 

Efficiently, Osiris explained that he would be providing support along with Osiris and two others: Amanda Holliday, from the air, and Crow, from the ground. Osiris would remain at HELM. At the mention of his name, Crow nodded to the team. “Looking forward to working with you, Guardians,” he said. She caught a tinge of nerves in his voice--she doubted he was fully comfortable around so many Guardians--but mostly, he sounded proud. Excited to be doing something so important, to be in a position of trust. It made a soft smile bloom on her face, and she had to consciously look away from him to avoid staring. 

As it turns out, she was more tactful than him. “Stranger, is there something on our Hunter’s face, or would you care to tell why you keep  _ looking  _ at her? I can’t tell what you’re thinking behind that mask of yours.” Callix asked, voice sharp, and she vowed to “accidentally” hit him with her Sparrow later. Preferably off a cliff. A tall one.

“Oh, please,” Zorah-13 muttered. 

Her Ghost, Rayya, was wordier, as she tended to be. “Callix, don’t antagonize our recon operative, and stop being so  _ weird _ over Asteryn. He’s probably just memorizing our faces, like an intelligence operative should, and you haven’t noticed him doing it to you or Zorah because you’re being  _ weird _ .”

Asteryn made a second vow: get Zorah-13 a bottle of her favorite wine, and shine up Rayya’s shell until it could be used as a mirror. 

“Guardians!” Osiris said, firmly, without raising his voice. “If you are quite finished, time is of the essence. Move out.”

The trio nodded, Callix and Asteryn blushing, Zorah-13 looking relieved that there seemed to be another adult in the room. They headed to the hangar, and as they left Asteryn chanced a glance over her shoulder at the two of them. Crow caught her glance and gave a slight wave, which made up her mind for her.

“Give me a minute? Gotta rearrange some weapons.” Asteryn gave her team an apologetic smile. It would earn her a lecture from Callix about preparedness later, but it’d be worth it. “I’ll catch up with you!”

Callix looked doubtful, making as though to follow her. “I’m sure I could be of help there. You know I’m a weapons expert, after all, and I know how new you are to real comba-hey!”

Roughly--more roughly than she probably needed to be--Zorah-13 yanked Callix by the arm back towards the docking bay. “Let her be,” she said simply, giving him no choice in the matter by dragging him behind her, him screeching protests all the while. Asteryn made a mental note to make it two bottles of wine, and maybe some ramen.

Quickly, before Callix could break free, she transmatted back into HELM. With a sigh of relief, she saw Crow and Osiris were still there. Both looked up as she appeared. Although she couldn’t see his face behind the mask, she could see Crow’s smile in his eyes.

“I was hoping you’d sneak back,” he said. 

“I knew she would,” Glint chirped, and his smugness made her laugh. 

"I had to!" She grinned. "I didn't expect my first sighting of you in the City would be here, of all places. I thought I'd have to track you down. You waste no time getting involved, huh?"

Before he could reply, Osiris interrupted. “More importantly, did either of your teammates seem to notice anything about our new Hunter?” He asked, his voice betraying no sign of concern or anxiety despite the loaded question.

“Neither of them think anything is off,” she said, with a thumbs up. “Callix would react like that to a stranger no matter what, I think. He still refuses to leave me alone with the Drifter. You vouching for Crow seems to be enough for my fireteam, at least.” She turned to Crow and smiled reassuringly. “I’ll listen around for chatter from other teams, and I know Brigid-2 will, also, but I really think you’re fine. As someone once said to me, Guardians are pretty good at rolling with seemingly strange things.” 

Osiris gave her a nod. “Excellent. In time he will hopefully be able to go without, but until then it is good to know the mask will protect him from the ignorance of other Guardians.” 

“Apparently, wearing the mask is the price of my new position--and my new clothes,” Crow added. “It isn’t a hard price to pay.”

Now that her fireteam--particularly Callix--weren’t hovering over her, she let herself scan Crow, taking in his new look. “It suits you. You have an eye for fashion, Osiris,” Asteryn grinned. And it did -- his moment of triumph, the paracausal bird, was emblazoned on his chest as a reminder of what he was capable of, while his cloak proudly broadcast his role as a Hunter. There were still clear elements of the Lightbearer who had shot her in a panic on the Tangled Shore, but in almost every way it was like looking at a new person. A new Guardian, even if he had yet to formally take that title. 

But the grin didn’t quite reach her eyes, which the sharp-eyed Crow noticed. “I can’t help but sense a ‘but’ coming…” 

She stepped closer, close enough to gently reach out and run her fingers down the side of his face, along the material of the black mask he wore. “I understand why you need this,” she said softly, knowing Osiris could probably still hear but pretending to herself that he couldn’t, “but I’m going to miss seeing your face.” 

Crow caught her hand and held it there, tilting his face into it. “I know. But at least I’ll be around. You’ll have time to get sick of me yet.” His eyes lit up slightly. “Besides. Don’t you think the mask is mysterious? Osiris says it adds allure.”

From across the table, Osiris coughed, dragged into a conversation that he was pointedly trying to not snoop on. “No, I said  _ Saint  _ says that. As far as I’m concerned the mask is purely out of practicality.” 

“Says the man who also covers his face but doesn’t need to anymore,” Crow shot back. “Why? Allure.” 

Asteryn laughed, and this time her smile did reach her eyes. “Fine, you’ve convinced me, as long as you promise not to say allure again, or try to make me think of Osiris as alluring. It’s weird. No offense,” she quickly added, with an apologetic glance at the Warlock, who merely shrugged. Before she could think better of it, she bounced onto the balls of her feet and kissed his cheek, intentionally touching only the mask. He did have a point--it was the only reason he could safely be at the Tower and working with them on the Cabal threat, which she certainly approved of. “I need to go--my fireteam is waiting, and I don’t know how long Zorah can hold back Callix--but I’ll find you later. Get us good intel!”

With a wave over her shoulder to both of them, she bounded out of the HELM, leaving a temporarily speechless Crow in her wake. 

...

With another cough--one that Crow was rapidly beginning to suspect was actually covering a laugh--Osiris gestured to his face. “You have a bit of green on your mask.” 

There was a clear imprint of Asteryn’s kiss left behind in green lipstick on the mask. He’d fix that, eventually, before anyone else had a chance to see it. But until then, he didn’t mind the touch of color--even if it was the first time since putting on the mask that he came close to resenting it, as it had kept him from actually feeling her lips on his cheek. 

But he was at the Tower now. There’d be a next time, and a time after that. This was where Asteryn always returned, and it was his home now, too. Next time, he’d get to feel her kiss. He’d make sure of it. 

As long as her overbearing lump of a Warlock fireteam leader didn’t stop him, anyway.

* * *

**End Notes:** Apparently, all of my fics need to end with Crow thinking about kissing or being kissed by Asteryn, because I’m WEAK, ok. (Not all of them will end this way, I swear, but far be it from me to not give myself a well-earned roasting.)


End file.
